The Other Milsteds – Elizabeth and Her Daughters

Life in Cardiff: The Fate of Elizabeth Milsted

While Albert Milsted abandoned his past and reinvented himself, his mother, Elizabeth Milsted, remained in Cardiff, where she carved out a life with her daughters. After Albert’s bankruptcy in 1853, it seems he cut all ties with his family, leaving Elizabeth and her daughters to fend for themselves in a changing and often unforgiving society.

Cardiff in the Mid-19th Century

Cardiff was rapidly growing from a small town into a significant industrial and maritime hub during the Victorian era. The expansion of the coal trade from the valleys of South Wales transformed it into a bustling port city. By the 1860s, Cardiff had developed a reputation for commerce, shipping, and trade, attracting workers and business people from across Britain and beyond. However, as the city expanded, so too did the problems associated with urbanisation: overcrowding, poor sanitation, and disease.

Elizabeth and her daughters lived in Bute Street, at the heart of Cardiff’s docklands. This area, though vibrant and full of opportunity, was also notorious for its poverty, crime, and poor living conditions. The docks provided employment, but work was unstable and often dangerous, particularly for those involved in shipbuilding or cargo handling.

The Struggles of Working Women in Victorian Britain

By the 1861 census, Elizabeth was living with her daughters Ellen, Fanny, and Fanny’s two children. Both Ellen and Fanny worked as milliners, a respectable but precarious trade. Milliners were dressmakers who specialised in women’s hats and accessories, catering to the fashion-conscious middle and upper classes. While this provided financial independence, the job was highly competitive and physically demanding. Women in this profession often suffered from:

• Chronic eye strain due to intricate, close-up work in dimly lit rooms
• Respiratory illnesses from inhaling fabric dust and dyes
• Hand and back pain from long hours of sewing and standing

It was common for milliners to take in lodgers to help cover rent, and Elizabeth’s home also housed three other milliners and a shipbuilder—likely reflecting the financial strain the family was under.

The Tragic Story of Fanny Milsted

Elizabeth’s daughter Fanny Milsted married Frederick Charles Vaughan, a sea captain, in 1851. Together, they had two children, a son (whose name is illegible on the 1861 census) and a daughter, Lucy Maude Vaughan (born 1859). However, Fanny’s life took a tragic turn when Frederick appears to have died sometime before the 1871 census, leaving her widowed.

Fanny continued to live with her mother, raising Lucy Maude, but financial hardship may have pushed her into a second marriage. In 1878, she married John Astle, a widower, in Chorlton, Lancashire—possibly indicating she had moved there for work or family support.

Who Was John Astle?

John Astle was born in 1826 in London, the son of George and Mary Astle. His father was a bookbinder, and by the 1850s, John had become a printer. His career later evolved, and by the 1861 and 1871 censuses, he was listed as a journalist and editor. He had previously been married to Caroline Pritchard, with whom he had two children: John George Edmund Astle (born 1856) and Agnes Mary Astle (born 1857).

By the late 1870s, John and Fanny settled in Teddington, a middle-class suburban area in London. They lived at Maud Cottage, Field Lane, and later at 5 Bushey Park Villas—suggesting a relatively comfortable life. However, John died in 1889, leaving Fanny widowed for a second time.

The Role of a Box Office Manager in Victorian Theatres

Lucy Maude Vaughan married Charles Henry Abbott in 1885 at Christchurch, Lambeth. They initially lived in Station Road, Lambeth, but by 1891, they had relocated to Hammersmith, where they lodged at the home of Elizabeth Trowbridge. Fanny, Lucy’s mother, also boarded in separate lodgings within the same house.

Charles worked as a theatre box office manager, a role that required strong numerical skills, trustworthiness, and an ability to deal with customers and theatre owners alike. Theatres in Victorian London were bustling places, catering to a wide range of audiences from aristocrats attending operas to working-class crowds enjoying music halls and melodramas. A box office manager was responsible for ticket sales, bookkeeping, handling money, and ensuring smooth entry for patrons. Salaries for such roles varied, but they were generally modest compared to theatre owners or performers. A typical wage might have been around £50 to £100 per year, a sum that placed Charles above unskilled laborers but well below wealthier professions.

A box office manager was responsible for ticket sales, bookkeeping, handling money, and ensuring smooth entry for patrons. Salaries for such roles varied, but they were generally modest compared to theatre owners or performers. A typical wage might have been around £50 to £100 per year, a sum that placed Charles above unskilled laborers but well below wealthier professions.

Southwark in 1899: Lucy Maude Vaughan’s Final Years

Lucy Maude died in 1899 in Brunswick Street, Southwark, an area known for its dense population and industrial activity. By this time, Southwark was overcrowded, with many working-class families crammed into poorly ventilated, unsanitary housing.

Industrial pollution was a major problem, and diseases such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, and influenza spread easily in the damp, smog-filled streets. The proximity of factories, slaughterhouses, and the bustling docks contributed to horrific levels of air and water pollution.

For someone suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and nephritis syncope—conditions related to chronic kidney disease, poor nutrition, and possibly alcohol consumption—living in Southwark at this time would have been an immense struggle. Limited medical knowledge and inadequate hospital care meant that people suffering from such ailments had little hope of recovery.

Fanny Milsted, having lost her second husband, John Astle, in 1889, continued to live in London, moving between various lodging houses. By the late 1890s, she resided in Brunswick Street, Southwark, likely near her daughter Lucy. This area, plagued by poverty, overcrowding, and industrial pollution, was home to many working-class families struggling to survive in the face of poor sanitation and frequent disease outbreaks.

Fanny’s final years were marked by increasing hardship, and by 1901, she too passed away, succumbing to bronchitis and cardiac syncope—illnesses common among London’s poor due to the persistent air pollution and cold, damp living conditions. Despite her difficult life, Fanny demonstrated resilience, adapting to changing circumstances and working to support her family until the end.

A Family Shaped by Hardship

Elizabeth Milsted and her daughters’ lives were defined by economic struggle, widowhood, and perseverance. They lived in a time where women’s financial security was often tied to the men they married, yet they managed to survive through skill, resilience, and adaptability.

From Cardiff to London, from millinery to journalism, the Milsted women were quiet pioneers, navigating a rapidly changing world with determination. While Albert Milsted chose to cut ties with his past, his mother and sisters continued to fight for survival, shaping the lives of their descendants along the way.